Cardiology

The department of Cardiology in GH Ernakulam was started in October 2014 pioneering an era of super specialty services in health service. From the humble beginning of the department of Cardiology in 2014, a mammoth effort and dedication went in the growth of the department in GH Ernakulam. The department was the first of its kind in public sector in Ernakulam district with Dr Paul Thomas and Dr Vijo George as the first Cardiologists. A fully equipped Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory, was inaugurated by the then Health Minister Smt. K K Shailaja in July 2016.​

On an average, 15 patients with heart disease referred from the peripheral government and private institutions get admitted in the Cardiology Department a day. We have three ICUs with a total bed strength of 80, which have an average occupancy rate of over 95 percentage. At a time, around 75 to 80 inpatients are being treated in the Cardiology department. Around 30,000 patients are being treated as outpatients a year.

The Kerala government has installed Intravascular Ultrasound and Fractional Flow Reserve (Volcano Core Mobile) in 2018 for advanced vascular imaging study during complex angioplasty. This was the first installation in a state government institution including the government medical colleges. A Rotational Atherectomy system (Rotablator) was also installed through the KMSCL , which is used for
performing complex angioplasties of calcified coronary arteries. Rotablator is the first of its kind in a state government institutions including government medical colleges. The state government has installed an advanced Optical Coherence Tomography and RFR machine which will enable the optical imaging of coronary arteries during complex angioplasties. This is the second installation of its kind in state government institutions. Dr NB Super specialty course in Cardiology has been started from September 2019 with an annual intake of two candidates. General Hospital Ernakulam is the only state government health service institution in India which conducts DrNB course in any Medical or Surgical Super specialty. The first batch of DrNB candidates trained at GH passed DrNB examination in their maiden chance itself in flying colours.

The new super specialty block commissioned under the KIFB project is housing a modern cath lab as the second cath lab unit and icu complex along with a cardiac surgery operation theatre and ICU. The second unit of cath lab has started functioning from September 2021. In fact, GH Ernakulam is the only state govt run General Hospital to run two cath labs in the country. Advanced interventional procedures like Aortic Aneurysm stenting and hybrid vascular surgeries are being performed in the new unit. Neuro Interventions for stroke like carotid and vertebral Stenting are being performed in the new cath lab. Catheter procedures for congenital heart disease like Septal defects are being performed in the cath lab which is in close proximity to the CTVS theatre. We scripted new history in performing the first ever Trans Catheter Aortic Valve Implantation in a District level hospital in the country. The Cardiac Surgery department has been performing CABGs, Valve and vascular surgeries since December 2021.